Embracing life: an Inuit priority

MARY SIMON
President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

Sunday Sept.10, 2006 marked the third annual International Suicide Prevention Day, or as our National Inuit Youth Council (NIYC) proclaimed it, “Embrace Life Day.”

Although it is important to recognize the importance of this day, we all know it will take each one of us working together and taking responsibility everyday to build healthy Inuit communities. We must continue to be persistent in overcoming mental illness, and promoting mental wellness.

As I thought about “Embrace Life Day,” it occurred to me that it is important to use opportunities to recognize and celebrate the work that is being done in communities and the contributions being made, both individually and collectively. At the same time we must recognize the gaps in services and the needs that are expressed that still remain to be addressed.

Our well-being, both physical and mental are a result of many factors, including but not limited to the fact that there have been significant changes to the Inuit nomadic way of life over the past last 50-100 years.

Despite significant progress being made in communities, Inuit continue to confront the highest cost of living with the lowest national income. Our health system continues to face major challenges related to lack of adequate funding so that Inuit can provide quality health services for their people.

Much more needs to be done in the mental wellness sector. Many Inuit face mental illness with no services to turn to. We are slowly building our capacity to provide diagnostic services as well as the capacity to provide counselling services, both on an individual basis or for group therapy. These types of services are critical for the well-being of our people.

Despite the fact that the suicide rate for Inuit in the Canadian Arctic is more than 11 times higher than that for all Canadians, it is still rare to have access to comprehensive mental health services in communities across the Arctic.

We continue to need support for crisis intervention and prevention and follow up services. We can’t give up and if we persevere we will demonstrate that with sufficient resources and recognition of the importance of mental wellness that we can make a difference.

My work with the Arctic children and youth has shown me that Inuit throughout Canada are struggling with issues that they share with other Aboriginal peoples throughout the world. Our goal to promote wellness throughout the communities in order to provide our children and youth with what they need to achieve their goals is something shared by all. Inuit are working to heal ourselves.

It is the community members and grassroots organizations that take the initiative to increase awareness and support, and whose efforts to attack this Arctic epidemic, that are really making a difference.

During the Healing Our Spirit Worldwide conference in Edmonton last August, participants had the opportunity to share Inuit healing efforts across Canada.

The Inuvialuit demonstrated northern games, which make an important contribution to whole health. A presentation of Nunavut’s Qauma Mobile Treatment Project showed how Nunavut is addressing needs of residential school survivors, families and communities. Nunavik representatives described a project that is addressing sexual abuse. Nunatsiavut reported on a pilot project for a community based addictions treatment project.

The contributions of youth are also essential in promoting community mental wellness. Jonathan Epoo, president of the Saputiit Youth Association in Nunavik, reported on the recently completed qajaq suicide prevention trek in northern Nunavik, which took place in August.

Yes, we need to mark Sunday, Sept. 10 every year as a day to celebrate lives, and also a day to remember those who have passed. But we need to remember this not just one day a year, but every day.

So let’s talk to others, speak to your children or peers, be there for a friend in need, get help if you need it – try a friend, or the health centre, or a teacher or one of the crisis lines. We all have a role to play in making sure our communities are healthy, happy places to live and celebrate life.